RESCUED: Woody the Lamb Escapes Slaughter and Finds Love
Meet Woody!
This gorgeous 5-week-old boy was rescued by a PETA supporter who found him fighting for his life near the Hume Highway in New South Wales.
Whilst driving by, Woody’s rescuer spotted the lamb’s mother lying down at the edge of a paddock. Five days later, another drive down the same stretch of road raised concerns, as the ewe was still lying in the same spot.
The good Samaritan pulled over to see if she could help and discovered that the distressed sheep was dying. Too weak to stand, she was suffering from what seemed like pneumonia. There was a distinct indentation in the paddock around her, where she had clearly struggled for days while trying to get up.
Woody was nestled beside his mother, suckling her milk.
The rescuer returned first thing the next morning to take Woody to safety, as it was apparent that he’d be facing certain death if he remained without adequate care in the frosty winter conditions any longer.
Woody’s rescuer took him home, where he was desperate to drink as much as possible. It soon became apparent that he was very unwell.
An examination by a vet revealed that Woody had developed a stomach ulcer, as he hadn’t been receiving enough milk from his sick mother, which had caused an excess build-up of stomach acid.
With proper medication and care, he was soon doing much better. Since then, he’s gone from strength to strength. While talking with her daughter, the rescuer explained Woody’s medical issues and remarked, “We’re not out of the woods yet”. The name “Woody” was conceived in that moment!
A passionate proponent of banning live export, Woody’s rescuer was elated that he will never suffer in that industry. She told us,
“This is one little sheep who will never set foot onto a ship to sail thousands of miles across the ocean in stifling heat to then be further traumatised and killed”.
Like all lambs and sheep, Woody has a unique personality and is sensitive and intelligent. His new family members have been amazed at his ability to solve problems, play games, and bond with all the humans and other animals he meets. They tell us that having a lamb is no different from having a dog, in terms of his ability to bring joy to the home and be a valued member of the family.
Facts About Woody
- He follows his human friends everywhere they go in the backyard.
- A lover of food, he bleats every morning at the exact same time, signalling that he’s ready for his breakfast.
- He tries everything to get inside the kitchen and does little 360-degree spins with excitement when he manages to sneak through the door.
- Woody is a brave boy – he has no fear and treats every experience like a fun game.
- He flies around the backyard and then jumps like a deer, elevating all four feet off the ground at the same time in excitement.
- He shakes hands with his human family members and loves to suckle on people’s long hair.
- When not scoffing down his meals, he spends his time taste-testing the plants in the garden and then spitting them out if he doesn’t like them.
Woody also loves to play soccer, although he’s still working out how to manoeuvre the ball without rolling his whole body over it and losing his balance!
Woody’s new family members are so proud to be his guardians and want everyone to know how wonderful lambs and sheep are.
They will give Woody the love and care he deserves for the rest of his life and continue to fight for the millions of other sheep who aren’t so lucky.
